世界上最优美的散文--人生短篇-第4章
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好书犹如知己。不管过去；现在，还是将来；它都始终如一。它是最有耐心、最令人愉快 的伴侣。困难之际；它也不离不弃。它总是以友善相待；在我们年轻时，好书能陶冶『性』情，增 长知识；到我们年老时，它又会给我们以宽慰。
好书可以使人结为朋友，就像两个人会因为敬慕同一个人而交为朋友一样。古谚说：“ 爱屋及乌”，但是，“爱我及书”这句话却有更深的哲理。书是更为牢固和真实的情谊纽带 。假如拥有共同喜爱的作家；人们可以借此沟通思想感情。他们可以由此和作者产生共鸣。
哈兹利特曾经说过：“书潜移默化人们的内心，诗歌熏陶人们的气质品『性』。少小所习， 老大不忘，恍如身历其事。书籍价廉物美，不啻我们呼吸的空气。”
好书犹如珍藏人一生思想精华的工具。人生的境界，主要就在于他思想的境界。所以， 好书保藏着优美的语言，深邃的思想，倘若能铭记于心，就成为我们忠实的伴侣和永恒的慰 藉。菲利普。悉尼爵士说得好：“有高尚思想做伴的人永不孤独。”
当我们面临诱『惑』的时候，虔诚而公正的信念就像仁慈的天使，保卫我们的灵魂；使她依 旧纯洁。这同样孕育着行为的冲动，往往成为善行的先导。
书籍的品质是不朽的，是人类勤奋努力的最为持久的结晶。寺庙会倒坍，神像会朽烂， 而书却经久长存。在伟大的思想面前，时间显得微不足道。多少年前曾经感动作者的思想今 天依然清新如故。书籍记载了他们的言论和思想，现在看来依旧生动。时间惟一的作用是淘 汰垃圾作品，只有真正的作品才能经受时间的检验而经久长存。
书籍引导我们进入主流社会，与历代伟人为伍，使我们如闻其声，如观其行，如见其人 ；如与他们朝夕相处；同欢喜；共伤悲。我们继承他们的感受，好似觉得在他们所描绘的舞台 上跟他们同台献艺了。
伟大杰出的人物在这世间也不会消逝，书籍记载他们的思想；然后传播开来。书是人们 至今仍在聆听的思想回声，永远充满着活力。因此，我们永远都在受着历代伟人的影响。多 少年前的盖世英才，就如同在他所生活的时代，今天依旧显示着强大的生命力。
companionship of books
samuel smiles
a man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company h e keeps； for there is a companionship of books as well as of men； and one should always live in the best company； whether it be of books or of men。
a good book may be among the best of friends。 it is the same today that it a lways was； and it will never change。 it is the most patient and cheerful of comp anions。 it does not turn its back upon us in times of adversity or distress。 it always receives us with the same kindness； amusing and instructing us in youth； and comforting and consoling us in age。
men often discover their affinity to each other by the love they have each f or a book — just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration w hich both have for a third。 there is an old proverb；“love me； love my dog。” bu t there is more wisdom in this：“love me； love my book。” the book is a truer an d higher bond of union。 men can think； feel； and sympathize with each other thro ugh their favorite author。 they live in him together； and he in them。
“books；” said hazlitt； “wind into the heart； the poet's verse slides in t he current of our blood。 we read them when young； we remember them when old。 we feel that it has happened to ourselves。 they are to be had very cheap and good。 we breathe but the air of books。”
a good book is often the best urn of a life enshrining the best that life co uld think out； for the world of a man's life is； for the most part； but the worl d of his thoughts。 thus the best books are treasuries of good words； the golden thoughts； which； remembered and cherished； become our constant companions and co mforters。 “they are never alone；” said sir philip sidney；“that are acomcpanie d by noble thoughts。”
the good and true thought may in times of temptation be as an angel of mercy purifying and guarding the soul。 it also enshrines the germs of action； for goo d words almost always inspire to good works。
books possess an essence of immortality。 they are by far the most lasting pr oducts of human effort。 temples and statues decay； but books survive。 time is of no acomount with great thoughts； which are as fresh today as when they first pas sed through their author's minds； ages ago。 what was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page。 the only effect of time has been to sift out the bad products； for nothing in literature can long surviv e but what is really good。
books introduce us into the best society they bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived。 we hear what they said and did； we see them as if they were really alive； we sympathize with them； enjoy with them； gri eve with them； their experience becomes ours； and we feel as if we were in a mea sure actors with them in the scenes which they describe。
the great and good do not die even in this world。 embalmed in books； their s pirits walk abroad。 the book is a living voice。 it is an intellect to which one still listens。 hence we ever remain under the influence of the great men of old。 the imperial intellects of the world are as much alive now as they were ages ag o。
谈读书
弗吉尼亚。伍尔芙
弗吉尼亚。伍尔芙（1882—1941），现代著名意识流小说家。她出生于伦敦，从小博览 群书，曾和兄妹们居住在伦敦的布卢姆斯伯里，形成一个影响广泛的文人圈子。她的主要作 品有小说《奥兰多》、《去灯塔》、《戴洛威夫人》、《海浪》，散文集《一间自己的屋子 》等。
既然书籍有不同的种类，如小说、传记、诗歌等，我们就应该把它们区分开来，并从每 种中汲取应当对我们有用的成分。然而，很少有人能从书籍中获得书籍所提供的有用价值。 通常我们总是心不在焉；毫无目的地去看书：要求小说情节真实，要求诗歌内容虚构，要求 传记阿谀奉承，要求历史能加深自己的偏见。如果我们读书时能抛弃这些偏见，那将是一个 令人羡慕的开端。我们无须盲从作者，而应站在作者的立场上，把自己当成作者的创作伙伴 。假如一开始你就退缩不前，持保留甚至批判的态度；就会妨碍自己从阅读中得到最大的益 处。然而，如果你能尽量敞开思想，那么，从开头几句迂回曲折的话里；可以发现那些几乎 难以觉察的迹象和暗示，然后会把你引到一个与众不同的人物的面前去。是自己深入进去； 进一步体味作者的用心；很快就会领悟作者正在给你或试图给你某些更为明确的东西。倘若 我们首先考虑怎样读小说，那么，一部小说中的32章就是企图创造出像一座建筑物那样既有 形式又能控制的东西，不过词句要比砖块难以捉『摸』，阅读要比看更费时、更复杂。也许理解 小说家创作要素的捷径并不是读，而是写作，亲自去尝试写作的艰难。那么，回想一下给你 留下鲜明印象的事项——比如，你走过大街拐角碰见两个人说话时的情景；树在摇曳、灯光 在晃动，谈话的语气时喜时悲，这一瞬间就是一个完整的画面，一个整体的构思。
about reading books
virginia woolf
it is simple enough to say that since books have classesfiction； biography ； poetry — we should separate them and take from each what is right that each s hould give us。 yet few people ask from books what books can give us。 most common ly we come to books with blurred and divided minds； asking of fiction that it sh all be true； of poetry that it shall be false； of biography that it shall be fla ttering； of history that it shall enforce our own prejudices。 if we could banish all such preconceptions when we read； that would be an admirable beginning。 do not dictate to your author； try to become him。be his fellowworker and acomcpli ce。 if you hang back； and reserve； and criticize at first； you are preventing yo urself from getting the fullest possible value from what you read。 but if you op en your mind as widely as possible； then signs and hints of almost imperceptible fineness； from the twist； and turn of the first sentences； will bring you into the presence of a human being unlike any other。 steep yourself in this； acquaint yourself with this； and soon you will find that your author is giving you； or a ttempting to give you； something far more definite。 the thirtytwo chapters of a novel — if we consider how to read a novel first — are an attempt to make so mething as formed and controlled as a building： but words are more impalpable th an bricks； reading is a longer and more complicated process than seeing。 perhaps the quickest way to understand the elements of what a novelist is doing is not to read； but to write； to make your own experiment with the dangers and difficul ties of words。 recall； then； some event that has left a distinct impression on y ou — how at the corner of the street； perhaps； you passed two people talking； a tree shook； an electric light danced； the tone of the talk was comic； but also tragic； a whole vision； an entire conception； seemed contained in that moment。
真理是为一切人而设的
罗宾德拉纳德。泰戈尔
罗宾德拉纳德。泰戈尔（1861—1941），享誉世界的印度诗人、小说家、哲学家，1913 年以诗作《吉檀迦利》获诺贝尔文学奖，是第一位获得该荣誉的亚洲人。
有一些很骄傲、明智、实际的人们，他们说，宽厚并不是人类的本『性』，人们将永远互相 争斗，强者将会征服弱者，人类的文明不可能有真实的道德基础。我们不能否认他们所说的 强者在人类世界上具有权势这个事实，但是我拒绝把这种说法当作真理的启示而加以接受… …
我们应该知道，真理——人类所获得的任何真理——是为一切人而设的。金钱和财产属 于个人，属于你们当中的每一个人，但是你们绝对不能利用真理来增长你们个人的财富和权 势，因为那样做就等于出卖上帝的恩泽，借以牟利。可是科学也是真理，它适当的职责在于 救治病人，并为人类生活提供更多的食物与闲暇。如果它帮助强者去压迫弱者，去掠夺那些 在沉睡中的人们，它就是在利用真理去达成不虔敬的目的。那些以这种方式亵渎神圣的人们 定会遭到报应和惩罚，因为他们的武器将会被用来对付他们自己。
truth is for everyone
